Thursday, August 17, 2017

Save the Date: Aug. 23, 2017

The Sarasota County Commission has set aside an entire day on August 23rd to hear testimony regarding the siting of a Construction/Demolition Waste Processing Facility at Apex Rd. and Palmer Blvd.

On June 1, the Sarasota Planning Commission unanimously voted No on all three elements of the Gabbert/TST Ventures proposal to amend the Critical Area Plan; No to Rezoning to Industrial Light Warehouse (ILW) and No to a Special Exception that would allow an open air waste processing facility on a 16 acre site adjacent to the Celery Fields.

The Planning Commission's No vote to Mr. Gabbert's requests does not mean the battle to prevent the sale and development of lands next to the Celery Fields is over. Mr. Gabbert has spent thousands of dollars and a few years on this matter to ensure he gets his dump developed and located where it suits him. A number of Sarasota County Commissioners' risk much by voting against Mr. Gabbert's proposal due to the campaign donations they have received from him. The Commissioners' risk their careers if they vote in favor of this dump. We need to make it clear, one more time, that the Celery Field belongs to the stakeholders of Sarasota, not to Mr. Gabbert and his proposed dump.

In this email we have included:

important upcoming dates, we hope you will join us

County Commissioners' email addresses and phone number so you may contact them to voice opposition to this proposal

Tips on speaking at the August 23 meeting

a Donate Now link for expenses that are accruing in order to fight the dump proposal. Any donation is appreciated and will be used wisely to stop the development of this dump via marketing and legal fees.

We hope you can join us on August 23 and if you can't, please continue emailing or phoning the County Commissioners' to voice your opposition to the proposed location of this dump. Your testimony is needed and will go on record and presented in the packet given to the County Commissioners' prior to the August 23 meeting.

The Board of County Commission Meeting begins at 9 a.m., located in the Commissioners’ Chambers.

Mr. Medred will present the TST Recycling Dump project to the BOCC for the following:

Proposed Land Use Change for: Critical Area Plan Amendment Rezone Petition No. 17-01 to Rezone approximately 16 acres from ILW (Industrial Light Manufacturing/ and Warehousing) with Stipulations and OUR (Open Use Rural, 1 Unit to 10 Acres) to ILW with Amended Stipulations, and Special Exceptions No. 1765 to Allow a Recycling Facility in ILW Zone District.

We will have up to five (5) minutes to speak during public comments to the board.

A technician is available to presenters throughout the public hearing. Speakers may bring printed materials set to landscape to display on the document camera no larger than 12" wide by 8.5" high.

If you wish to speak, look for speakers' cards. The cards are available on either side of the chamber as you walk in. Fill out the card fully, then take the card and leave it with the clerk seated to the right of the dais.

If you are interested in speaking and are unsure about what you wish to say, please view some topics for consideration below.

QUALITY OF LIFE:

traffic congestion with introduction of new truck traffic to dump

diminished air quality

impact to home values

road safety

impact to Tatum Ridge Elementary children commuting by bus or by parent

impact to local neighborhood traffic commute times

ENVIRONMENT:

pollution will harm threatened and endangered birds, fauna, insects, fish and wildlife of park will be in harm's way with location of dump

The Palmer East Group has been working exhaustively since January, 2017 as a group (and individually, some of us began working much earlier) to stop the threats to the Celery Fields.

The Palmer East Group has established a legal defense fund under the management of the Meadow Walk and Enclave homeowners associations. An attorney and a professional land use planner have been retained to defeat the waste site proposal. Donations have ranged from $50 to $1,000, and come from businesses, homeowners associations, and individuals. Your investment of $25, $50, $100, or more is much-needed ammunition in this fight.

An urgent threat looms as James Gabbert—via his company, TST Ventures, LLC—has petitioned Sarasota County to allow the construction of a 15-acre construction- & demolition-debris processing facility on Celery Fields lands. Mr. Gabbert has invested "hundreds of thousands" to ensure his dump will be developed, we appreciate any amount to help with expenses to fight this horrific threat to the Celery Fields and local neighborhoods and businesses.

EMAIL THE SARASOTA COUNTY COMMISSION PRIOR TO AUGUST 23: and let them know you oppose the sale and development of county owned lands next to the Celery Field, especially the proposed dump.

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Citizens for Sarasota County is a coalition to promote ethical, responsive government that preserves and enhances Sarasota's unique natural environment and cultural heritage while building a sound local economy based on effective stewardship and innovation. Facebook conversation here.